Brand Evatt

[tomski]

9 minutes ago, Stig said:

I don't agree with the criticism of Schon and McAtee, I think they've shown enough that they can be good players for us, if we sort ourselves out.

The rest of your post is spot on though. We've lost our way completely and I'm not even sure Evatt even knows what he's trying to do anymore.

Same. I like both of em. Wasn’t sure on Schon first couple but I think he’s an asset when we are dictating tempo.

Mcatee. My type of player all day long.

[gonzo]

17 minutes ago, tomski said:

Same. I like both of em. Wasn’t sure on Schon first couple but I think he’s an asset when we are dictating tempo.

Mcatee. My type of player all day long.

Yep.

McAtee always wants to try something instead of sideways passing. Looks for the early ball and loves running at folk.

Unfortunately our mixed up playing style and chopping the attack means he's rarely going to take a game by the scruff of the neck.

I'd love to see him start and get a proper run in a two up top. 

[Mounts Kipper]

Last night I was expecting similar game to the sheff wed away game couple of years back when we went 1 down and bossed the game from there on, the style and tactics last night were not Evatts style or tactics, I’m thinking it’s developed by Creaney, the 2 assistant managers is not helping the situation, the players we have in our squad aren’t recruited for a sit deep hit on the break dogs of war style of play, yes we can still achieve promotion but we have to find our identity and get back to doing what we are good at. And good god please put Arfield out to grass.

Edited October 23, 2024 by Mounts Kipper

[tomski]

Just now, gonzo said:

Yep.

McAtee always wants to try something instead of sideways passing. Looks for the early ball and loves running at folk.

Unfortunately our mixed up playing style and chopping the attack means he's rarely going to take a game by the scruff of the neck.

I'd love to see him start and get a proper run in a two up top. 

Yep. Would start every week for me. I think he has a bit of everything as you say. Plays with Dion or Victor and Collins does the other pairing. We shouldn’t chop and change as much as we do.

[Whitesince63]

10 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

It wasn't 5-2-3 and we did do what you suggest in your second paragraph

It just didn't really work

Perhaps it might've done with Tomo in instead of Arfield

 

32 minutes ago, Stig said:

I don't agree with the criticism of Schon and McAtee, I think they've shown enough that they can be good players for us, if we sort ourselves out.

The rest of your post is spot on though. We've lost our way completely and I'm not even sure Evatt even knows what he's trying to do anymore.

Thommo would’ve been off after his first two tackle with that ref.

[gonzo]

1 minute ago, Mounts Kipper said:

Last night I was expecting similar game to the sheff wed away game couple of years back when we went 1 down and bossed the game from there on, the style and tactics last night were not Evatts style or tactics, I’m thinking it’s developed by Creaney, the 2 assistant managers is not helping the situation, the players we have in our squad aren’t recruited for a sit deep hit on the break dogs of war style of play, yes we can still achieve promotion but we have to find our identity and get back to doing what we are good at. 

Exactly. Said it a million times, despite our obvious failings, we were inches away from promotion last season. We scored about 3 million goals and barely conceded.

Stick to that plan with a higher tempo and early balls and some proper ingame management and we wouldn't be far off.

All the fuck ups this season have been self inflicted from trying to reinvent the wheel.

 

[Whitesince63]

Can’t argue with that Gonzo, all self inflicted by a manager who tries too hard to show how clever he is and fix things that aren’t broken, maybe just dented. Can’t really see any way back for him now though sadly.

[desperado]

11 hours ago, Marc505 said:

I  agree with the point about identity. After years of us just being "a team" with nothing to really define what or who we were, we've had a few seasons of us standing for something, a way of playing. Currently though we look like we're not sure what we're meant to be.

Hard to disagree.

After Orient and Crawley I alluded to the fact that this looked a different style/approach, but if that’s what winning looks like then I’ll take it.

But then we try to go back to how we used to play, then we go back to a box midfield, then Arfields back, then it’s two eights, then it’s two sixes and a ten,  one game it’s possession based, next game we surrender it, fuck me it’s all over the place without any identity at the moment 

Edited October 23, 2024 by desperado

[Marc505]

12 minutes ago, desperado said:

Hard to disagree.

After Orient and Crawley I alluded to the fact that this looked a different style/approach, but if that’s what winning looks like then I’ll take it.

But then we try to go back to how we used to play, then we go back to a box midfield, then Arfields back, then it’s two eights, then it’s two sixes and a ten,  one game it’s possession based, next game we surrender it, fuck me it’s all over the place without any identity at the moment 

I came away from that Orient game really hopeful, as we'd won in a way I wasn't used to seeing. It was scruffy and ugly and the manager/players coming over at the end looked really up for a battle. So I thought you know what maybe we can mix it up after all.

Even came away from Wrexham game still onboard, just need to get that forward line in tune with eachother and we're flying.

Turns out it was just me making excuses to deny what's become blindingly obvious, that in our current guise we've shot our shot and missed. Our time to go up was last season, now we're an also ran. Could finish 6th or 12th.

[thebells]

Agree with all the points on here. Whilst Birmingham will beat most teams and, I expect, win League One at the biggest canter ever seen, last night just didn't feel right. Thomason, Toal and Baxter are big losses for any top end team. But I'm not sure the result would have been hugely different with any of them available.

We have players who have been recruited for a different system (McAtee and Lolos in particular) and I am not sure how some of them (plus the returning Mendes Gomes) get game time. I think last night was the 4th or 5th variation of a system we've tried this season. 

If Evatt stays, I imagine we will spend the season bouncing between 4th and 10th, with glimmers of hope dashed by really poor results. One of the current glimmers of hope is that 2nd place may well get promoted with well under 92 points, and there is plenty of time for us to get there. But i do worry about how Saturday turns out now against a side that will come and have a real go.

I'm aware that, of the 3 'decision makers' at board level, Evatt now only has one supporter left. 

Also aware of some recent training ground 'incidents' that are out of the norm and definitely not helping. 

Whilst never being a fan of the bloke in terms of how he conducts himself, I always wanted it to work for him. He's clearly devoted to the job and, I think, genuinely cares for BWFC. I hope I'm wrong because I really didn't see this season turning out like this, but I think he needs a break before coming back with another club and I think we need someone to come in and re-motivate this squad of players. Big Sam ain't that man, but I do think an old head, one season manager would be a wise move at this point for the club.

Right now, it feels like everyone is just waiting!

[Whitestar]

I really don't know anymore and am really struggling to care, its all very well a load of old blokes reading their phones whilst waiting for popmaster to come on and discussing the latest failings of our once or twice successful club but should we just accept that this is how its going to be now? 

2 big opportunities have come and gone, after Wembley and after Huddersfield, to be fair i was pleased for the bloke that he won his next few but everyone can see the pattern,  Status Quo anyone?

 

[Tombwfc]

Can't take us up and even if he did, he has no idea how to play against teams with equal or better players (which would be 23 teams in the Championship).

It's been a fun ride... but this is all just wasting everyone's time delaying the inevitable.

[Ani]

Brand Evatt does not exist, he has talked about how we want to play. Which I think means like Birmingham did last night.

We have improved as a team under him, but that improvement has been more than matched by the spend. In League 2 we had  Doyle, Lee , MJ Williams , Santos and Dapo. No wonder we went up.

Last night we started with Collins, McAtee and Big Vic on the bench, best part of £3m worth of spend. The midfield 4 might try and work hard but Sheehan, Matete and Arfield have so little pace and even less movement (Dempsey gets a pass) with no cover on the bench.  Who the fuck oversaw recruitment that leaves us short in the middle and a spare place in the squad. In Jan we need to pay Arfield up and strengthen in midfield. Is there anyone that does not think we need a leader/bastard in there ? 
 

We were coming back last night and the talk was about apathy setting in and how predictable his interview would be 'couple of injuries, in the game, miss a great chance' etc etc and he trotted out just what we expected. No mention of 29% possession and the fact 'the chance' was our only shot on target. His selection was baffling. The signing of Arfield even more so. Mcatee despite the miss did more to disrupt their defence than the rest of the team in the whole of the first half. Dion up front on his own has never worked, never will. 
 

20 minutes to go, still getting beat, but at least got something up front, sign goes up to say Williams coming off, are we going to go more attacking ? Are we fuck, just swapping wing backs, no problem with Forester but we had an obvious chance to go to a back 4 and get Lolos on. More awful in game management. 
 

Has he been unlucky with injuries ? Captain Legohead missing last night. Jones to comeback but defence was not the issue and CMG  who has been the verge of a comeback longer than Donald Trump. The issue is recruitment added to an inability to provide a different option. Remember we could not find a system that get the best out of Dapo. The injuries is another excuse.

Evatt seems a lost, broken, defeated man. The team reflects that. Teams playing against can either press high and the midfield hide or stand off us and let Santos have 3345 touches a game.

Whatever 'Brand Evatt' is meant to mean is broken and falling into disrepair. It is time for a change. Would Moyes take on the challenge ? Probably not but due maybe he knows Sharon through her West Ham connections. Steven Schumacher maybe ? 
 

 

 

[Eavesy]

You could come away from those defeats to Derby and Portsmouth and a few others in that we had a plan, played reasonably well, kept possession, had some control but just couldn’t get over the line or nick a scabby goal.

And with that you could stick with evatt and see what is trying to be achieved. 

This season there are absolutely zero positives from the defeats. Absolutely no control. No identity. It’s not as if we are just passing around at the back anymore and not getting anywhere. We are just launching it and giving the ball away.
 

[Mounts Kipper]

In my opinion he’s been told by the board to have a plan B, for me Creaney developed this plan and 2 assistant managers was a board decision, we are losing our identity and style that last night wasn’t an Evatt style performance, and something he’d not put his name too, the plan B & creaney appointment has muddied the waters, it’s a mess that needs clearing up… sadly the wrong man will most likely leave the building and the style Evatt created will be gone and we will replace it with what?  Sad the board and a large trench of our fan base haven’t had the stomach to see it through.

[passmosster]

He bought one two many attackers with decent funds at his disposal and one too few defensive midfielders.

[Eavesy]

One of the most depressing things from last night. 
 

When McAtee came on he charged over and blocked Birminghams full back from making a pass. 

You could hear the away end roar.

About 5 minutes later we won a throw in just in Birminghams half. And again you could hear the away end roar and will the team on.

A frigging block tackle and a throw in. 

[Big E]

8 minutes ago, Mounts Kipper said:

In my opinion he’s been told by the board to have a plan B, for me Creaney developed this plan and 2 assistant managers was a board decision, we are losing our identity and style that last night wasn’t an Evatt style performance, and something he’d not put his name too, the plan B & creaney appointment has muddied the waters, it’s a mess that needs clearing up… sadly the wrong man will most likely leave the building and the style Evatt created will be gone and we will replace it with what?  Sad the board and a large trench of our fan base haven’t had the stomach to see it through.

I don’t get the “not an evatt style performance” he’s masterminded plenty of performances like that for us. 
 

[JimmyRiddle]

5 minutes ago, passmosster said:

He bought one two many attackers with decent funds at his disposal and one too few defensive midfielders.

And shipped out Morley who is playing 90 mins regular for a team who will go second if they win their game in hand.

Morley did have a dip on form but clearly has ability, shipping him out is gonna come back and haunt us too I feel.

 

[Stig]

12 minutes ago, Mounts Kipper said:

In my opinion he’s been told by the board to have a plan B, for me Creaney developed this plan and 2 assistant managers was a board decision, we are losing our identity and style that last night wasn’t an Evatt style performance, and something he’d not put his name too, the plan B & creaney appointment has muddied the waters, it’s a mess that needs clearing up… sadly the wrong man will most likely leave the building and the style Evatt created will be gone and we will replace it with what?  Sad the board and a large trench of our fan base haven’t had the stomach to see it through.

Can't keep throwing other members of the backroom under the bus.

I can't see an assistant manager having that level of tactical input to overrule how the manager wants to play.

[Whitestar]

Also aware of some recent training ground 'incidents' that are out of the norm and definitely not helping. 

Are you able to hint at what these might be or who is involved?

[Big E]

Shouldn’t a high level coach / manager naturally have a plan b? Surely they don’t just play the same way even when getting spanked? 
 

plan b doesn’t have to be a complete over haul. Couldn’t it be like changing things in game. We currently can only change like for like 

[Eavesy]

9 minutes ago, Big E said:

I don’t get the “not an evatt style performance” he’s masterminded plenty of performances like that for us. 
 

Nah

Last night and generally this season the ‘performances’ are not like previous seasons.

Results, yes.

But the performances are way off the performances we got at Portsmouth and Derby and others 
 

[barrycowdrill]

Got to the point where the formation, personnel or tactics are irrelevant. 
 

we’ve had many variations of them all in the games that matter and come out with pretty much nothing from any of them. 
 

there seems to be a fundamental culture issue which runs all the way from the top down. Everyone concerned with being the good guy. It’s like everyone’s happy with finishing on the wrong side of the results as long as we conduct ourselves in a nice, polite and respectful manner. 
 

the amount of times an “unforgivable” performance has repeated itself further down the track with very little accountability has gone beyond worrying now. 
 

we seem to have a chairman who is so heavily invested in the personal element of the manager she can’t / refuses to see what’s blatantly staring her in the face. A Manager who appears to be trying to chuck everyone under the bus in order to deflect from his own misgivings and players so comfortable and lacking in professional pride and desire that one tickle on their whiskers sends them reeling to the canvass 

anyone expecting any sudden change whilst that goes on has the whitest tinted spectacles imaginable 

[Traf]

I've not read much after last night's game, but my overall take is this (and I'm sorry it it has all been said before)...

This squad should be more than good enough for the top six, if not higher.

Sadly Evatt is tactically naive, he's too arrogant/stubborn and he thinks he's far cleverer than he actually is. I'm not one for knee-jerk reactions asking for managers to be sacked mid-season etc, but he really should have gone after the play-off final.

I'm now at that point where I think a fresh start might get more out of this squad and I'm not interested in his excuses about injuries. Every team gets them, but if he does want to go down that route, let's examine how many of our players get injured in training, shall we?

He talks of a lack of choice to select from with the players missing, yet we have an unfilled squad place on the roster. I'm not saying Mathieson is a world beater, but he's sat there doing fuck all, whilst we've a spare place in the squad? That's as baffling as signing Arfield. I don't like getting on players' backs, but he's fucking shit. He hadn't played competitive football since leaving Burnley in 2018, yet he's the one to do a job here? Fuck off and take Evatt, Creaney and whoever else sits there in a tracksuit with you.